Bhṛgu Tests the Trimūrti; Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna Visit Mahā-Viṣṇu and Recover the Brāhmaṇa’s Sons
विप्रापत्यमचक्षाणस्तत ऐन्द्रीमगात् पुरीम् । आग्नेयीं नैऋर्तीं सौम्यां वायव्यां वारुणीमथ । रसातलं नाकपृष्ठं धिष्ण्यान्यन्यान्युदायुध: ॥ ४३ ॥ ततोऽलब्धद्विजसुतो ह्यनिस्तीर्णप्रतिश्रुत: । अग्निं विविक्षु: कृष्णेन प्रत्युक्त: प्रतिषेधता ॥ ४४ ॥
viprāpatyam acakṣāṇas tata aindrīm agāt purīm āgneyīṁ nairṛtīṁ saumyāṁ vāyavyāṁ vāruṇīm atha rasātalaṁ nāka-pṛṣṭhaṁ dhiṣṇyāny anyāny udāyudhaḥ
在那里看不见婆罗门之子,阿周那便前往因陀罗、阿耆尼、尼利提、苏摩、伐由与伐楼那诸天之城。执持兵器,他自地下的罗萨塔拉直至天穹之顶,遍搜宇宙诸境。终究仍未得见那位二生者之子;因未能践诺,他欲投身圣火。正当此时,主奎师那拦住他,并开口说道。
Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī comments that Arjuna trusted Lord Śiva implicitly as his guru, and so he did not bother to search out Lord Śiva’s celestial abode.
Because he could not locate the brāhmaṇa’s missing son on earth, Arjuna searched successively through major deva-realms and even nether regions, exhausting extraordinary means to fulfill his promise.
The verse highlights the limitation of even heroic, empowered effort—without Kṛṣṇa’s sanction and guidance, one may not reach what lies beyond ordinary cosmic jurisdictions.
Do your duty with full effort, but remain humble and prayerful—recognizing that final outcomes rest with the Lord, and turning to Kṛṣṇa when strength and strategy are not enough.